YTV lets kids take programming reins for March Break

Letting kids have direct influence over on-air scheduling seems to be catching on with kidcasters right now. And Corus Entertainment's YTV is the latest channel to dip its toe into these waters. The Canadian net is handing a little programming power over to its core 6 to 11 audience in March with the Spring Break Show-down, a competition pitting top series against each other in head-to-head vote-offs.

Letting kids have direct influence over on-air scheduling seems to be catching on with kidcasters right now. And Corus Entertainment’s YTV is the latest channel to dip its toe into these waters. The Canadian net is handing a little programming power over to its core 6 to 11 audience in March with the Spring Break Show-down, a competition pitting top series against each other in head-to-head vote-offs.

Early promotion for the Spring Break Show-down, which is not specifically sponsored by any one advertiser at this time, will begin on February 26 with on-air and online nudges to get kids involved. On-air promos will drive viewers to YTV.com to vote for their show picks. Competiors include SpongeBob SquarePants, Viva Pinata, Drake & Josh, The Fairly OddParents, Danny Phantom, Ruby Gloom, Fantastic Four and Avatar. Characters from these shows will also appear in ‘campaign videos’ on the kidnet’s website. SpongeBob, for example, will ask kids to ‘Vote for me!’ The competition angle also ties in thematically with the final matches of Thumb Wrestling Federation, the Animation Collective/Nicktoon short series that began airing on YTV in January.